Present invention generally relates to a system and method of video selection processing in, for example, a video apparatus or the like, capable of receiving a digital and/or analog television signal; and more particularly to a system and method for processing entry and/or selection a channel.
In analog-only TV environment, tuning directly to an analog (e.g., NTSC or PAL) television channel was relatively easy using a remote control device. A user would typically use a number keypad on a remote control to press the digits corresponding to the desired channel. For channels with only one digit (e.g., channel 6), the user would typically have to enter a leading zero before the channel number in order to fill up the buffer of two digits. For example, the user would enter xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d then xe2x80x9c6xe2x80x9d. For channels of two digits, the user would enter the two digits, after which the TV would immediately tune to the desired channel after receiving two digits. For some remote controls, a user would press an xe2x80x9centerxe2x80x9d key after the channel digit entry, so that the video apparatus would immediately turn to the entered channel, without delay.
When Cable TV was introduced, three-digit channels became common and various methods were used to facilitate three-digit channel entry. These methods include, for example, a xe2x80x9c100xe2x80x9d key on the remote, or a xe2x80x9clong-1xe2x80x9d method (i.e., holding the xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d digit key for a longer-than-usual period would allow for a three-digit entry), etc.
In the past, tuning to channels in a satellite system, such as a DIRECTTV(copyright) Integrated Receiver-Decoder (IRD), made by, for example, Hughes Electronics or Thomson Consumer Electronics, was straightforward, too. DIRECTTV channels have used three digits in length (e.g., range from 100 to 999). Therefore, all a user has to do is to enter a three-digit channel number and the DIRECTTV system will immediately tune to the channel after the third and final digit is entered. In the future, however, DIRECTTV may have from 1 to 9,999 channels, or include subchannels.
The introduction of digital television further complicates channel entry and selection. One example of a digital television is high definition television (HDTV) which complies with Digital Television Standard for HDTV Transmission standard of, for example, Apr. 12, 1995, prepared by the United States Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) or other ATSC standards. A digital television broadcaster under such standards may choose to either broadcast one high definition digital signal (e.g., a main or major channel) or the broadcaster may choose to split the digital television signal into multiple standard definition xe2x80x9csubchannelsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cminor channelsxe2x80x9d if he so desires (which is called xe2x80x9cmulticastingxe2x80x9d).
A digital ATSC channel which is broadcasting a single high definition channel (i.e., is not multicasting multiple standard definition channels) will always have a subchannel number of xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d. A digital ATSC channel which is broadcasting multiple standard definition channels (i.e., is multicasting) can have multiple subchannels ranging from xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c999xe2x80x9d. Exemplary illustrations of how major and minor channel numbers are transmitted, processed and displayed is disclosed, for example, in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/057,646, entitled xe2x80x9cA System and Method for Displaying Major and Minor Channel Numbersxe2x80x9d, and also in a Continuation Application of that application, U.S. application Ser. No. 09/218,518, filed Dec. 22, 1998, both assigned to the same assignee of the present invention. Therefore, digital channels may have major and minor channel numbers, unlike analog channel, which do not have a subchannel. Likewise, satellite broadcast, such as DIRECTTV, currently does not have subchannel associated with its transmission.
The present inventors recognize that it is desirable to be able to provide a channel entry and selection system and method which is easy and intuitive to users in an environment of having one or more broadcast formats. The present inventors recognize that a user-friendly solution must be provided to handle the differing lengths of direct digit entry of channels for different signal sources (e.g., analog, digital, satellite), as well digital subchannels.
The present invention, therefore, provides a system and method of channel selection in a receiving apparatus, which is capable of receiving a program, which may occupy a high definition channel or only a subpart (e.g., a subchannel) of the high definition channel. Also, the present invention may also be used to select an analog television program and/or satellite broadcasting programs.
Therefore, in one form, the present invention is a method for processing channel entry, comprising the steps of:
displaying a first field;
displaying a second field;
determining if there is an entry to the first field;
determining if there is an entry to the second field; and
if there is an entry only to the first but not the second field based on the previous determining steps, then tuning to a first available channel and with a major channel number corresponding to the entry in the first field.
In another form, the present invention is a method of processing channel entry, comprising the steps of:
determining whether the apparatus is in a first or a second receiving mode;
displaying a first channel entry format if it is determined that the apparatus in the first receiving mode, in response to the determining step;
displaying a second channel entry format if it is determined that the apparatus in the second receiving mode, in response to the determining step; and
wherein the first channel entry format comprises a first and a second information portions and the second channel entry format comprises a third information portion.